Chapter 2 What A Birthday Surprise!

The mirror said I was pretty. At least, that was what I read off it as I'd been there for the past hour, trying to find a look that succinctly defined the age I just turned. Elegance never came easy, Mother would say, and I guess that was why I'd pulled my hair into four different styles; I had yet to find the perfect one.

Night had fallen quicker than I expected, probably because it was enticed by my brimming expectations of the surprises this dinner would hold. One thing was certain, my mother had something planned for the night, and it was left for me to unravel whatever it was.

The mere thought of it caused my toes to tingle, and my head went wild with questions and ideas. What could it be?

'Say less. It's going to be a big night for you, Rosa. You should be prepared for it.' Her voice rang at the back of my mind, a distant echo, and I let my hair loose, frustrated from thinking too hard.

Nobody else was as strategic as my mother; not even my father could rival her knowledge.

I turned twenty-two today, quite a significant age for a young, protected lady like me, and it rang at the back of my mind that with each additional year came more responsibility. I was the only standing heir to the West Royal fashion industry. Least, I say, that title alone held weights that pulled down my shoulders.

"None of this should matter right now," I muttered to myself as I cleaved my hair with a rather heavy brush. "The celebration comes first." Especially as the Thornes were involved.

That was another enigma to ponder over. This set of people held enough power to bench the weight of the country economically. A family of nothing short of affluence and wealth, just like ours, if not more. Gerald stood at the top of the food chain, kinging over every organization in the fashion line, except ours.

For now, I guess. There'd been talks about their company and ours forming a merger, a conglomerate, they called it, but the plans seemed to vanish after Julie's death. I didn't ask about it. Julie had always been the model child until her accident.

My heart sank, and a tear threatened to ruin my mascara. As much as a happy day this was supposed to be. It sure was laced with a thick lining of sadness.

"Let's go." I spared myself one last glance by the mirror. The black satin dress owned me, hugging my body right, and the sequins sparkled in a pleasant union. It was just perfect. I didn't need to be told.

With the necklace I was gifted by my mother, which fitted like a tailor-made item for the dress, I was good to go. I sucked in a sharp breath and headed for the main stairs.

Our manor had three living rooms, one of which was practically a hall and designated for a night like this. The stairs were well carpeted- a red plush rug that connected straight to the long, silver dinner table, where I was headed.

I'd never felt so much nervousness in my entire life. I didn't think I'd sit at the same table as the Thornes even in Julie's lifetime. It made my stomach show off weird acrobatic skills, twisting and turning like a dancer managed to sneak in.

Up ahead of me was a small crowd of people: friends, families, businessmen, and women with an aura that practically instructed one never to utter a word again. It was elegant, the atmosphere emphasized by plain white walls and tons of candelabrum with golden glows.

My eyes landed on the set of people I was going to meet, and I realized that even before I looked, they were already looking- hard, penetrative stares. Especially one keen pair of eyes that set my brain to nuts.

Gerald's. The man was just as I remember him. His face was one to get used to as it belonged on billboards and every advertisement the internet has to offer. My heart leaped to my throat, and I choked it down, taking the steps one after the other, or I'd trip under Gerald's gaze.

Even though the distance didn't permit a good look at his face, there was no denying his locked attention was on me, measuring my every step, following me, and flinging me down the abyss of self-consciousness. I felt out of place under the pressure of his ogling.

His eyes held a distant yearning that I couldn't interpret. He was my sister's fiance. Why, then, did he look at me like I was something to devour, to tear apart?

I made my way to the table quickly and met their smiling faces. Gerald's parents and mine sat at the same table; the rest of the guests couldn't come close to the blazing union of two monster industries.

What should I say? What should I say? My head had gone utterly blank. "Good evening," I began. "It's a pleasure to meet you officially. I'm glad that you could-"

"Rosa?" My mother called out, zipping up my words. "Sit, my dear." I didn't know if that was a note of her disappointment in me or if she had something else planned.

I sat down; it was quite unfortunate that I was seated directly opposite Gerald, whom, for no reason, enjoyed staring at me. From my seat, his icy blue eyes were no longer impossible to hide, like the sea on a snowy day, they looked.

I knew how dangerous that was. This man looked as though he'd been sculpted fine by gods, and he knew it. His dark hair was slicked back, leaving just a tendril to thread his forehead, further flaunting his flawless porcelain skin.

For him to have such red, thin lips, Gerald must have saved a country in the past. I tried to tear my gaze away, but I was stuck in this magnetic staring contest that we both entered.

This must be why Julie fell for him, poor thing.

"She's perfect, isn't she?" Mother cut through the awkwardness that plagued the air, facing Gerald's mother.

I shot my head in her direction, aware that I'd been lost in my reverie. What was she saying that for?

Who was she saying that for?

Gerald's mother scanned me; her eyes bore the same shade as her son's and her lips were tightly pressed together. It was impossible to tell if she was livid or not. I didn't know why I felt compelled to make a good impression.

My seat seemed to be laced with cactus, and I couldn't stop squirming as this woman thoroughly checked me out like I would steal a purse at the mall. She exchanged glances with her husband and son before she gave a response.

"Well..." She took her time to gather her response while retaining eye contact with me. "Well, I suppose. We can't all be winners."

I twitched in my seat, but my mother was quick to place her hand on my thigh, grounding me into place. What the hell was going on here? The atmosphere suddenly felt twice as stuffy.

My mother chuckled lightly as if to bury the tension in the air. "You'd see with time that Rosaline is just as amazing."

She said, as if to alleviate the embarrassment from Gerald's mother's backhanded compliment. So much for a birthday, huh?

"She is quite the promising young lady," Gerald's father added. The first thing I'd heard him say all evening. "You know what it has come to."

It felt like they spoke in riddles, none of which I could piece together. It was too overwhelming for me, so I snapped up and pushed my chair backward. "E-excuse me, I need to use the ladies."

Without waiting for a response, I turned in the opposite direction. I had barely taken a step when I felt someone grab my hand and twirl me to them.

My breath hitched as I turned and slammed my face onto his chest. "Gerald?" I looked up at him, confused.

I noticed his eyes fall to my neck for a barely noticeable moment and I startled back, my body tingling at the slightest contact.

"What are you doing?" I bit into the words. Gerald had never spoken to me, and suddenly, he was comfortable enough to hold me.

I could almost hear my thudding heart. "This..." He mentioned and fished out a little box from his suit pocket.

I blinked once, then twice because I understood none of this madness. Gerald slowly getting on one knee before me, in front of all these people? Who could explain what was going on?

"Are you crazy?" I whispered. "What are you doing?!"

"Rosaline Jasmine Rivera, would you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?"

My brain screeched to a halt as I stared down at Gerald. He looked at me so earnestly, as though he'd been waiting for this to happen. Everything I'd rather say was stuck in my throat.

WHY WAS HE ASKING ME TO MARRY HIM!? I looked around to meet expectant faces, and my stomach caved. My mother made eye contact with me, and every feature on her face screamed, 'Say yes!'

This was it all along, the event planned out for tonight. The rest of the room seemed to fade into a blurry blurb, leaving me, my sister's ex-fiance, on his knees, and anxiety that sucked air out of my lungs.

Every single action had led to this moment, and they wanted me to accept his proposal.

Staring down at Gerald, I muttered. "Yes, I'd marry you."

The words were so heavy on my tongue. He stood up and fixed the ring on my finger without a care in the world while my world crashed from wall to wall. An applause rippled from the crowd, and they cheered, my parents included, as though I hadn't just signed my prisoner contract.

Immediately after, Gerald returned to the table, and I raced out of the room and headed to the ladies, out of breath and confused. I picked up my phone and hastily dialed the number of the person who could be of help at the moment.

Ava picked up immediately, my best friend and only confidant. "How's the party going!?" Her voice burst through the speaker from the other end.

"Ava..." I panted. "I just...got engaged."

"What?!"

"To Gerald Thorne."